‘No Diet Day’ inspires healthy body image

I was glancing at my calendar of “national _____ day(s)” and learned yesterday, May 6, was “No Diet Day.” I was intrigued. After a brief search of the web I discovered that it is an international movement intended to celebrate bodies of all shapes and sizes. According to Wikipedia, “No Diet Day” was first celebrated in the UK in 1992 but has since spread around the globe. The creators intent is for people to get off the roller coaster of losing and regaining weight and embrace their body as it is.

I personally need to take this message to heart. I have shed a tremendous amount of weight and am grateful to live in a much healthier body. The part I am still working on is seeing myself through unconditionally loving eyes. Negative body image is issue for many people, both men and women. Setting aside a day to remind ourselves to value the only body we get to live in is a admirable mission.

But I have a bit of a problem with the language. To me “diet” is a noun and simply encompasses the variety of foods a person eats. “Dieting,” on the other hand, is a verb more often used to describe a person not eating or eating with significant restrictions to achieve rapid weight loss. I suggest we all strive to be mindful of our diet, make food choices that will nourish our bodies, and tune into what feeling good really feels like. Make today no “dieting” day then work on building a “diet” you can celebrate everyday.

A tremendous part of my weight loss process has been understanding how food makes me feel. As I continue on my journey I am learning to embrace the truth that, feeling good on the inside makes loving the outside a whole lot easier.